BJA FY25 Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the Office of Justice Programs within the U.S. Department of Justice, is offering funding through the Second Chance Act program to support initiatives that enhance reentry education and employment outcomes for individuals currently incarcerated. This funding opportunity reflects the Department of Justice’s broader mission to uphold the rule of law, support public safety, and protect civil rights. The BJA plays a central role in supporting state, local, and tribal justice strategies and works in collaboration with other OJP agencies to advance innovative solutions to public safety challenges, including reducing recidivism through reentry support. The funding program specifically targets improvements in educational and vocational programming for incarcerated individuals with two years or less remaining on their sentence. Under Category 1, applicants can propose projects that enhance prison-based education and vocational/trade training to better prepare individuals for successful reintegration. This can include efforts to improve academic offerings, establish or expand career and technical education, and align program content with local labor market needs. Category 2 focuses on employment programming and includes the creation or expansion of workforce development systems or career pathway initiatives tailored to reentering individuals. Both categories aim to support participants before and after release, with the overarching objective of improving employment prospects and reducing recidivism. The total anticipated funding available is $19.8 million, with each award capped at $900,000 over a 36-month period. Approximately 22 awards are expected—10 under Category 1 and 12 under Category 2. Cost sharing or matching is not required. However, successful applicants must include a signed Mandatory Chief Executive Assurance to Collect and Report on Recidivism Indicator Data and demonstrate a commitment from at least one correctional or community supervision agency. This can be done through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or letter of intent showing partnership and support for the project. For nonprofit and non-correctional government applicants, a formal agreement with the relevant correctional authority is mandatory. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities: state, local, and tribal governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); and for-profit organizations, including small businesses. The program allows partnerships, but only one entity may serve as the primary applicant, with others listed as subrecipients. All applicants must be able to demonstrate capacity for implementing programs that support education and/or employment for incarcerated individuals and be capable of collecting and reporting data as required by the program. The application process involves two steps. First, applicants must submit the SF-424 form through Grants.gov by May 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Then, the full application package must be completed in JustGrants by May 11, 2026, at 8:59 PM ET. Application components include a proposal narrative, budget detail form, performance measurement data, project timeline, and required assurances and disclosures. A detailed justification for the proposed activities and their alignment with the program’s goals must be presented in the narrative, and applicants are encouraged to submit the full application at least 48 hours before the deadline. Awards are expected to be announced following a peer review and internal evaluation process, with performance periods anticipated to start on June 1, 2026, and run for 36 months. While this is a competitive opportunity, OJP will also consider factors like geographic diversity, past performance, and alignment with agency funding priorities, such as supporting American children or victims of trafficking. The program is recurring, and those who miss this round may apply in future years. For assistance, applicants can contact the OJP Response Center via phone at 800-851-3420 or email at [email protected]. Additional resources, including webinars and technical assistance for JustGrants, are also available online.

Submit early; document partnerships with corrections; align with local labor market needs; target vocational skills (Category 1) or employer connections (Category 2).